Pinewood submits new £200m expansion plan

Pinewood Shepperton today submitted another planning application for the extension of its Buckinghamshire site.

The facilities group wants to add another 100,000 sq m of studios, stages, workshops, production offices and streetscapes for filming.

Pinewood described the £200m proposal, which is now being considered by South Bucks District Council, as “a scheme of national importance designed to address increasing global demand for capacity in the UK and deliver growth for the next 15 to 20 years”.

Pinewood said that according to Amion Consulting, the extra capacity will create 3,100 jobs and provide £194m of private sector infrastructure investment as well as generating £37m per year in UK exports.

Pinewood Shepperton chief executive Ivan Dunleavy said: “This is a critical opportunity for the creative industries and particularly for the UK film industry.

“Global demand for filmed entertainment is increasing and the UK remains one of the leading destinations to produce creative content.

“We have the talent and skills and the government has expressed its commitment to the industry through the various tax reliefs now available.

“Without infrastructure to meet the rising demand, the UK will inevitably turn away business. Pinewood Studios, the UK film industry and UK Plc cannot afford to allow this to happen.”

This latest application follows last year’s failed attempt to get permission to build standing sets and 1,500 homes, which was scuppered by the secretary of state for communities and local government.

In May, Pinewood announced it would revisit the plans in a bid to keep pace with rival facilities and attract more international content.

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